Exploring the Adaptation of Mindfulness Interventions to Address Stress and Health in Native American Communities

Mindfulness-based practices can benefit people physically and psychologically, and; they may be particularly beneficial for vulnerable populations who face socio-economic challenges and lack access to quality healthcare. Indeed, many of the health disparities experienced by ethnic minority groups in the United States are associated with the stress of being a minority. This dynamic is particularly present in Native American communities where historical and current traumas appear to be associated with stress-related diseases, such as diabetes and violence. However, treatment promoted by non-Native clinicians in Native communities has kept traditional healing methods on the periphery in favor of medical or 12-step models of healing. This is unfortunate as many Native traditions include stress-reducing benefits and the act of returning to cultural values addresses the biggest trauma of all: the loss of Native culture. Societies are increasingly multicultural with rich blended spiritual and cultural histories that can serve as either bridges or barriers to mindfulness-based practices. The challenge is to find the salient and common cross-cultural teachings and attitudinal foundations that can support the cultivation of mindfulness-based practices for people across all socio-economic strata that embrace diverse cultural experiences. The following chapter explores how mindfulness practices common in the United States (e.g., Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction; yoga) are similar in nature to Native American spiritual practices and looks at possibilities for adapting mindfulness interventions (and all that we know about the health effects) to Native traditions in order to address health disparities in Native American communities.